Dishwasher Problem

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I was emptying my dishwasher this morning and noticed that several of the items had a soap film on them. One pot still had food residue in the bottom.

I use a recommended rinse aid. Is there something else I could be doing? Does it need to be cleaned?

[JohnN]

I suggest you have your spouse clean them! (jk)

[villagetinker]

Despite what dishwasher mfgs and soap companies claim, these do not always remove ALL of the food residue, we typically go over pots and pans with a sponge before going into the dish washer. As for the soap film, I have no idea unless you may have accidentally used a different wash setting? I would continue to use and watch results, if this continues, you may have a failure in the control system and a rinse cycle or similar is not functioning.

[Jima64]

Have you cleaned the filter trap/ screen lately inside the cleaning compartment?

[John Mayes]

I was emptying my dishwasher this morning and noticed that several of the items had a soap film on them. One pot still had food residue in the bottom.

I use a recommended rinse aid. Is there something else I could be doing? Does it need to be cleaned?

By chance, was there water still in the bottom of the dishwasher?

[tophcfa]

Have you cleaned the filter trap/ screen lately inside the cleaning compartment?

My thoughts exactly.

[davem4616]

Have you cleaned the filter trap/ screen lately inside the cleaning compartment?

ditto on taking out the filter and cleaning that, it can get nasty

decades ago I was advised to periodically run a cycle (dishwasher empty) with a couple of tablespoons of "Tang" instant breakfast drink....Tang was developed by NASA years ago and like 'duct tape' it has many uses...one of which is it cleans the inside of the dishwasher.

knowing that, I'm no longer interested in Tang as a breakfast drink lol

[Bjeanj]

If the items with soap film on them were glasses, and hand washing does not get the film off, it is possible that the glasses have been “etched”, which means that will always be there.

If it WAS soap film, then I have no idea other than what has been noted above.

[bluedivergirl]

ditto on taking out the filter and cleaning that, it can get nasty

decades ago I was advised to periodically run a cycle (dishwasher empty) with a couple of tablespoons of "Tang" instant breakfast drink....Tang was developed by NASA years ago and like 'duct tape' it has many uses...one of which is it cleans the inside of the dishwasher.

knowing that, I'm no longer interested in Tang as a breakfast drink lol

IIRC, Tang has a lot of citric acid. It can be a good acidic cleaner. Food ~ not so much.

[La lamy]

I've never been satisfied with dishwashers, and it runs for more than an hour!!! It takes about 5 seconds for me to hand wash any item, and no dirty dishes waiting to be badly washed.

[PugMom]

i'm 1 of those housewives that MUST rinse everything b4 it's put in, to avoid the issues you are having. are you using a different soap by chance? some work better than others

[Girlcopper]

I was emptying my dishwasher this morning and noticed that several of the items had a soap film on them. One pot still had food residue in the bottom.

I use a recommended rinse aid. Is there something else I could be doing? Does it need to be cleaned?
Though you can supposedly put dishes with food still on them in the dishwasher, I never have. It takes a second to just rinse the dish first. I dont believe any dishwasher will remove stuck on food. As far as the soap film, i dont know

[Nannyof3]

to avoid a film on the glasses use either the "high temp wash or the sanitize rinse". the extra hot water will leave them sparkling. it may take a few washings using both to get rid of the film. you don't have to sanitize every load, also don't overload or leave dirty dishes sitting for a couple of days. we run the DW every day, if it's a small load we use the express cycle.

[lonestar4ever@outlook.com]

I add a little white vinegar to every load of dishes I wash. That seems to help a lot.

[talktome]

BEFORE running the washer turn the sink HOT water on only and let it run until it gets very hot. I do this every time before I push the buttons to start the machine to get that hot water running cycle going (read that somewhere and it works!). Also agree to clean out that filter periodically and also give those dishes a quick rinse before stacking in machine.

[RJFortier]

When you load your dishwasher make sure you don’t put anything in front of the soap dispenser door. Taller items such as cutting boards will block the water spray and will leave soap residue.

[Surf Daddy]

When you load your dishwasher make sure you don’t put anything in front of the soap dispenser door. Taller items such as cutting boards will block the water spray and will leave soap residue.

If there is water remaining in your washer, pooled at the bottom, it is likely caused by clogged discharge lines. Either the rubber hose to the garbage disposal, or the pipe from there. This will restrict dirty water from being discharged. It will allow soapy water to continue to be sprayed.---signed--- the voice of experience.

[TandHSTAR@AOL.com]

You need to clean out the washer. There is, or should be, a filter in the middle on the bottom. Mine twists out, run it under water with a soft brush. Then put it back. see if that works.

[jimkerr]

When we installed a water softener, our problems went away including the film on the shower glass.

[wganderson13]

Do you run the hot water faucet to make sure you're getting hot water to the dishwasher? Clean out the screen & spray arm.

[Bethwill]

I have found a combination that has worked with the crummy water in TV. VERY HOT water, QUICK WASH cycle on the dishwasher (most water force inside dishwasher) and CASCADE PLATINUM PODS. No rinse agent needed. Also, the fuller the dishwasher, the cleaner the dishes.

[retiredguy123]

I don't have any problem with my dishwasher because I almost never use it. It's noisy, it takes too long, it doesn't dry the dishes, and it's too much trouble to load and unload. Mostly, I use paper plates, plastic cups, and plastic "silverware". I'm still using the same container of Cascade "Action pacs" that I bought five years ago. The original container had 39 pacs and I have 8 left. So, I'm good for another year.

[DavidK]

I recommend using Procter & Gamble's Cascade in your dishwasher. It is the best dishwasher cleaning product we have found in our 47 years of marriage. Dishes, even in cheaper dishwashers, come out sparkling. We lightly rinse food items from plates and never have to add any rinse aid.

[davephan]

We used to have problems with our dishwasher not throughly cleaning dishes and glasses. The dishwasher also developed a yellow film inside the dishwasher. I had to manually clean the interior of the dishwasher every 6 to 12 months. It took hours to clean the dishwasher Interior surfaces. I’ve always rinsed the dishes and glasses before putting them in the dishwasher.

I found the solution, which drastically improved the dishwasher cleaning of the dishes and glasses, plus permanently eliminated that yellow film buildup inside the dishwasher. The solution was to switch to the Finish Max dishwasher tablets. They are sold at Costco and Walmart. It costs a little more than the cheap liquid dishwasher soap, but the cleaning job is far superior and I never have to clean the dishwasher interior surfaces again. Finish makes lower tier tablets, but I only use their “Max” tablets. Try using the Finish Max tablets and find out if that fixes your dishwasher cleaning problems.

[Topspinmo]

ditto on taking out the filter and cleaning that, it can get nasty

decades ago I was advised to periodically run a cycle (dishwasher empty) with a couple of tablespoons of "Tang" instant breakfast drink....Tang was developed by NASA years ago and like 'duct tape' it has many uses...one of which is it cleans the inside of the dishwasher.

knowing that, I'm no longer interested in Tang as a breakfast drink lol

I guess you don’t like citrus?

[beeneyra]

Most common problem is the cutoff valve not supplying enough water due to buildup. Replace the valve, less than $5.

[ribil]

It is possible that the spray bar has been clogged with bits of food blocking its holes and preventing the water distribution. It is also possible that the pump impeller has been worn down if you don’t scrape bones and the like from your dishes. Check the screen guard under the spray arms as well.

[tfa4755]

There is no filter to remove on Whirlpool

[roadkingken57@yahoo.com]

Hello everyone with dishwasher dirt I recently solved my similar problem by troubleshooting the problem. My problem was the spinning cleaning arms (upper and lower) were both partially plugged and greatly reduced the water pressure and volume needed to clean the dishes. After removing and cleaning both arms (check owner’s manual for instructions) the dishwasher works again like new.

[Laurel Maryland]

I agree with bjeanj about etching. Sometimes glassware and dishes that appear to have a soap film on them have really been “etched.” Etching is the erosion of the surface of glassware, causing tiny pits or scratches on the glass. To determine if your dishes are etched or if they are simply coated with mineral & soap build up: Put some lemon juice on a small area of the effected glassware & allow it soak for 5-10 minutes then wash it off. Allow the glass to dry. If that spot you put the lemon juice on is much cleaner than rest of the glass than it is not etched & can be restored. If the spot you put the lemon on looks unchanged then it is most likely etched and cannot be restored.

[crash]

I was emptying my dishwasher this morning and noticed that several of the items had a soap film on them. One pot still had food residue in the bottom.

I use a recommended rinse aid. Is there something else I could be doing? Does it need to be cleaned?

Check the filter at the bottom it may be clogged and then the water doesn’t circulate through the sprayers.

[pgoodley]

Are you sure you put in dishwasher soap? I forgot one time and got the same results you're describing. As I unloaded the dishes I couldn't figure out why they looked so nasty, then I remembered. NO SOAP!

[Tomptomp]

In a past life I had an appliance repair business. You didn’t say if the items that didn’t rinse properly were on the top or bottom rack. The only thing I can suggest is that you spin the impeller,s with your hand. They should be able to make several revolutions freely and easily. If they “hop” or bounce then they will not disperse the water effectively.
There is a bushing in the center of the impeller that sometimes wares out causing the water to spray incorrectly or not at all.

[65Proff]

Try using the pod dishwasher detergent rather than liquid. Also make sure your dishwasher is set to normal not quick wash. Hope this helps.

[Nazdad]

Spray arm not turning caused by blocked holes in the spray arm or blocked by an item in dishwasher or not enough water

[New Englander]

There is no filter to remove on Whirlpool

Yes there is.

[doecats]

put 2 to 3 ounces of white vinegar in the dishwasher before you start ,spot free and all residue removed plus it cleans dishwasher

[Marty94]

I bought a new dishwasher and was displeased after the first load. Dishes and glassware had a white film on them; silverware was badly spotted. I ran the same load through a second time with the same result. I didn’t understand why so I got out the manual and it stated for best results to use Cascade Platinum pods and rinse aid. I had been using Cascade Complete with my older machine and just figured it would be the same. It was not. I bought the pods and it solved the problem. My glassware comes out sparkling every time. The new machines have been engineered to conserve on water and I’m guessing P&G changed their pods to compliment this change. My older machine used more water and had a heating element that got the water super hot. The new machine doesn’t get the water quite as hot and uses very little water. Ergo, perhaps why they recommend this specific product.

[drrichard]

You need to CLEAN your dishwasher once a month with Dishwasher Magic (or similar product containing citric acid). We had similar problems ten years ago and our repairman said to clean it monthly and we have had NO problems since then.

[emb2458]

Had that problem. Was my garbage disposal. Water running thru it was backing up. Disposal was leaking and didn't know it. Replaced disposal. No more problems with dish washer

[stebooo]

Sure you didn't stop it to soon?

[Heyitsrick]

It sounds counterintuitive, but you really shouldn't be rinsing your dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. No, that doesn't mean leaving big chunks of food on them. But there's no reason to go about almost washing them before you put them in the dishwasher.

Why? Because dishwashers - and particularly dishwasher detergents - need dirty dishes to work correctly.

The makers of the dish detergent Cascade discourage customers from pre-washing or rinsing dishes because it actually inhibits the cleaner from working. "Enzymes in Cascade detergent are designed to attach themselves to food particles," the Wall Street Journal reports. "Without food, the enzymes have nothing to latch onto, says P&G."

See here: Why You Shouldn't Pre-Wash Dishes - Dishwasher Is Better Than Handwashing (https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/a33322/stop-prerinsing-dishes/)

[Fenster]

Maybe too obvious, but this happened to me twice in the villages. Everything was dirty. The cause was that the soap dispenser failed to pop open.

[eddie888]

I have been in the villages a long time. This is my third house and ever Dishwasher was terrible. I have been living in my house for four years and a dishwasher broke down. It’s a junk they put in. So I sucked it up and bought a new dishwasher which is amazing. Never a problem for one year. I will let you know in the next two or three years.

[87lwrdr]

Is your water heater in the front of the house and your dishwasher in the back? If so you’ll never get hot water at the start or during it’s cycle especially when it’s colder out. The only hot water you’ll have is what the dishwasher itself can heat up. That type of setup is a total waste of energy on both ends, heating water that doesn’t get there then the electricity to heat it again in the machine. A dishwasher needs 120* going into to perform properly. Plug the sink and run the hot water and see how much goes in the sink before you get to 120*.

[Catalina36]

Check and clean the screen at the bottom of your dishwasher. Also check the hot water temp. For a dishwasher to work properly I believe you need at least 120 deg. F water temp for the dishwasher to clean properly. Perhaps you need a new dishwasher, how old is your dishwasher????

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I went on youtube to find a solution. I found video that said to run it empty on the hottest and longest setting with a cup of white vinegar. Then do the same with a cup of baking soda.

I did that.

Then I found another video that showed how to remove and clean the filters. I removed the filters and couldn't believe what I saw. I guess my previous wife would clean it out occasionally because I never did. We've owned this house for over 5-1/2 years and this is the first time they've been cleaned.

I'm hoping that was the problem.

By the way, my dishwasher has a sensing mode where it senses how dirty the dishes are and adjusts to match. It has worked extremely well for the past five years. This is the first time I noticed a problem.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

I've never been satisfied with dishwashers, and it runs for more than an hour!!! It takes about 5 seconds for me to hand wash any item, and no dirty dishes waiting to be badly washed.

That brings up another question that I have. With only two people in the house, I frequently just wash my dishes by hand. I have heard somewhere that it is actually more efficient to put everything in the dishwasher and that it will actually use less water.

Up until this last load, my dishes have always come out sparkling clean. I would never say that they were badly washed.

The other thing is that a dishwasher sanitized with hot water. When my first son was born we were told that we could put bottles and nipples etc in the dishwasher instead of using a sterilizer.

I'd lie to know how many people with one or two people in the house hand wash vs using the dishwasher. Do you always wait until the dishwasher is full or do you run it every day?

Is it more efficient to run it every day as opposed to hand washing if it is not full?

[njbchbum]

snipped
I'd lie to know how many people with one or two people in the house hand wash vs using the dishwasher. Do you always wait until the dishwasher is full or do you run it every day?
snipped

2 person household that never uses dishwasher! Have double sink - 1 side for washing and other for rinsing and drying. Never have to bend over to load/unload dishwasher! Sandwiches and snacks served on paper plates as needed. Glassware always sparkles!

Depending on the amount of dishes, pots, pans to be washed - will on the rare occasion use the dishwasher as my drying rack!